Chapter 46: Pleading with a Tearful and Woebegone Expression

Lin Junsheng stood at the doorway, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes revealing unmistakable displeasure.

Wang Guifen seemed to have anticipated his reaction; the smile on her face did not fade in the least, instead growing even more eager.

"Junsheng, oh my, what are you saying? We are neighbors, wouldn't it be right for me to come and check on you?"

Wang Guifen and he were not even from the same village. If she hadn't constantly gone around various villages shouting about matchmaking, who would even know her?

As she spoke, she stepped forward a few paces, trying to close the distance between herself and Lin Junsheng.

However, Lin Junsheng instinctively took a step back, maintaining his vigilance.

"If you have something to say, spit it out. Don't beat around the bush."

Lin Junsheng interrupted her bluntly. Knowing full well that Wang Guifen must have a purpose for coming, he had no desire to waste time circling around with her.

Seeing this, Wang Guifen realized that continuing to beat around the bush was pointless, so she sighed and finally revealed the true purpose of her visit.

"Actually, it's about my Angora rabbits. Yesterday, they all looked listless, completely motionless, and I have no idea what kind of sickness they've caught. Everyone for miles around knows that you, Lin Junsheng, are the only veterinarian, with great skills and a kind heart. I... I was simply at my wit's end, which is why I'm shamelessly begging for your help."

Hearing this, Lin Junsheng's guardedness relaxed slightly, though his expression remained stern.

Angora rabbits falling ill was a case he had never encountered before. As a veterinarian, he still wanted to accumulate experience.

At the same time, however, remembering Wang Guifen's past behavior, he felt somewhat hesitant.

Just as he was struggling internally, Li Aimei's voice drifted out from the inner room.

"Junsheng, who's here?"

As her voice trailed off, Li Aimei had already walked to the doorway and immediately caught sight of Wang Guifen standing outside.

A flash of surprise crossed her face, but it quickly gave way to calm. Clearly, she held a different view of Wang Guifen's arrival than her son did.

"Oh, it's Wang Guifen. Come on in and sit down."

Li Aimei greeted her warmly while signaling with her eyes for Lin Junsheng to clear the doorway.

Reluctant though he was, Lin Junsheng could not bring himself to defy his mother's wishes, so he reluctantly stepped aside to let Wang Guifen into the house.

The moment she stepped through the door, Wang Guifen busied herself placing the gifts she had brought onto the table, all the while uttering polite pleasantries.

"My goodness, Sister Li, look at you, why go to all this trouble? I really do have an urgent favor to ask of you this time."

She had become so ingratiating that even her form of address had changed.

Her face certainly changed quickly.

Li Aimei smiled and patted the back of her hand, gesturing for her to sit down. Having remained in the bedroom earlier, she had actually overheard the entire conversation.

Li Aimei smiled and patted the back of her hand again, signaling her to sit and chat.

A tacit understanding flickered in her eyes, as if to say, "Between us, is there any need to hide or hold back?"

"I know, you must have come because of those Angora rabbits, right?"

There was a hint of playful teasing in Li Aimei's tone, yet it also carried genuine sincerity.

She understood in her heart that while Wang Guifen's tongue was usually a bit too fast, her intentions weren't bad. Among fellow villagers, who didn't run into hard times now and then?

"Junsheng, your Aunt Wang might be a bit sharp-tongued at times, but we are all fellow villagers living right next to each other. Whenever we can lend a hand, we should."

As Li Aimei spoke, she directed a meaningful look at Lin Junsheng.

Lin Junsheng initially wanted to refuse; he knew Wang Guifen's character all too well—once she latched onto you, she was like sticky taffy that could never be shaken off.

Yet when he saw his mother's gaze, the words hovering on the tip of his tongue were forcefully swallowed back down.

He sighed inwardly and thought to himself, "Fine, fine. I'll just treat it as doing my mother a favor."

Just as a trace of a smile appeared on Wang Guifen's face, Li Aimei spoke up once more: "Well, my Junsheng has had a hard life. I wonder if my dear sister might also be able to help my Junsheng out."

As soon as these words were spoken, the smile froze instantly on Wang Guifen's face.

Only then did the realization dawn on her: Li Aimei hadn't genuinely wanted Lin Junsheng to treat her Angora rabbits after all; she wanted her to continue playing matchmaker for Lin Junsheng!

With a troubled expression, Wang Guifen looked from Li Aimei to Lin Junsheng, and stammered, "This... I..."

Seeing this, Li Aimei kept her smile, though it now carried a deeper meaning. "Is it no good then? Well, Junsheng, I'm going out to cut some rabbit grass. You head over to Xiaogang's and tell him and your sister to come home for lunch."

With that, she stood up and walked out the door, leaving Wang Guifen staring blankly in bewilderment.

Lin Junsheng acknowledged with a, "Got it."

He understood clearly in his heart that his mother had just laid a trap for him.

Yet he didn't want Wang Guifen setting him up on blind dates either!

Now look at this—he was caught in the middle, facing pressure from both sides.

Seeing the situation unfold, Wang Guifen could no longer sit still.

Her mind was preoccupied with the Angora rabbits at home; if she delayed any longer, the little creatures might all drop dead.

Wouldn't those few hundred yuan she had saved with such difficulty go completely down the drain?

So, she hurried to her feet and blurted out, "S-Sister Li, I agree! Hurry up and let Junsheng come take a look at my place."

A triumphant smile curved the corners of Li Aimei's lips.

Her tactic of "retreating in order to advance" had been executed to absolute perfection—it provided Wang Guifen with a face-saving way out while ensuring she would have no choice but to keep worrying herself over Lin Junsheng's affairs.

Turning back, Wang Guifen smiled and said, "Alright then, Junsheng, come with me and take a look."

With a cold expression, Lin Junsheng gave a curt nod.

His only intention was to examine what kind of illness the Angora rabbits had contracted.

That way, if the old village secretary or anyone else's Angora rabbits fell ill in the future, he would have the experience to handle it.

Hearing this, a look of grateful relief immediately surfaced on Wang Guifen's face as she offered profuse thanks. "Oh, thank you so much, Junsheng! Don't you worry, once you cure my Angora rabbits, I will definitely... definitely introduce a wonderful young lady to you."

At her side, Li Aimei chuckled as well, offering earnest advice: "Junsheng, your Aunt Wang is going to settle your lifelong affairs, so you must cure those Angora rabbits properly."

Lin Junsheng turned his head away; he truly had no desire for Wang Guifen to play matchmaker.

Unless the match she introduced was Liu Jingjing.

"Mom, what are you talking about? I'm not thinking about such things right now. Let's just go take a look at the Angora rabbits first."

Li Aimei's smile only grew brighter.

"Whether you're thinking about it or not, you need to. You're at that age now, it's high time you settled down and started a family. Alright, enough said, hurry along with Aunt Wang and check on those Angora rabbits."

And thus, prodded along by Li Aimei, Lin Junsheng helplessly followed Wang Guifen to her home.

Along the way, Wang Guifen chattered endlessly, explaining the rabbits' symptoms, while Lin Junsheng listened in silence, already beginning to formulate a treatment plan in his mind.

Still, all of that would have to wait until he saw the actual condition of the Angora rabbits firsthand.

Upon arriving at Wang Guifen's house, Lin Junsheng immediately laid eyes on the listless Angora rabbits lying limply inside their cages, too weak even to lift their eyelids.

Squatting down, Lin Junsheng began to carefully inspect the symptoms of each and every rabbit.